Here’s something to bark at: About one in five — or roughly 23 million — U.S. households acquired a dog or cat during the pandemic.

But some cities are more equipped to handle the explosive growth of their four-legged population.

With International Dog Day (Aug. 26) around the corner, LawnStarter sniffed out 2021’s Best Cities for Dog Lovers. 

We measured the puppy love in nearly 200 of the biggest U.S. cities based on 22 key factors — from access to dog walkers, groomers, and trainers to the share of canine-friendly rental properties to the favorability of dog laws.

Check out the 10 leaders of the pack (and the 10 runts of the litter) below, followed by some highlights and lowlights from our report.

Highlights and Lowlights:

• Hollywoo(f), Florida: The Alpha: Every dog has its day, and for Hollywood, Florida, that’s today: The Diamond of the Gold Coast earns a gold star as 2021’s Best City for Dog Lovers. This Miami suburb gives a tail-wagging performance in three categories: Care (No. 1), Services (No. 4), and Community (No. 12).
  
  Looking for a dog? Hollywood boasts the most shelters per 100,000 residents. Constantly sick pup? This city also prioritizes hound health, taking third place in vets and animal hospitals and seventh for emergency care.
  
  Where the city needs training: Dog-Friendly Housing (No. 191) and Businesses (No. 71). Hollywood beats out only three other cities when it comes to canine-friendly rental properties.
  
  But Hollywood is not the only Sunshine State city that’s best in show. Neighboring Fort Lauderdale takes spot No. 2, while Orlando is the third most ideal city for fetching with Fido.

• California: The Golden (Retriever) State: Florida’s biggest cities might lead the pack, but California gives the Sunshine State a run for its money in this race. The Golden State claims more winning spots in the top 10 and 20 than any other state. 
  
  At No. 4 overall, Pasadena trails Florida’s three top dogs, while Torrance and Orange trot along at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively. Fullerton, at No. 9, rounds out the California cities in the top 10.
  
  The race slows down with Huntington Beach at No. 13, while Garden Grove finishes at an honorable 15th place. These rankings come at no surprise, considering The Golden State also dominated our ranking of the Best Dog Park Cities. 
  
  If you’re looking to date someone who must love dogs, California will make your dog lover dreams come true.

• New York City: Runt of the Litter: At No. 198 overall, New York City is the weakest of the pack in our ranking and one of the weakest when zooming in on individual categories and metrics.
  
  The Big Apple ranks at the very bottom of Services and second to last in both Housing and Care. There’s no room for Spot to run around when you’re home — New York has the smallest average home square footage. And don’t count on restaurants and shops welcoming your pup — New York lands at a cold 187th place in Businesses.
  
  Where the Big Apple (bow)wowed us: The city boasts a loyal dog community (No. 22) and the most dog-friendly laws in the nation. At No. 10, it’s one of the most walkable cities, too. Heel, Spot, heel.

Our full ranking and analysis can be found here: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-cities-dog-lovers/